It Happened Today: Sept. 9, 1941

Otis Redding was born 67 years ago in Dawson, Ga.

After winning a talent show for 15 weeks in a row, Redding began touring and recording with Johnny Jenkins and The Pinetoppers and started recording his own material. He had his first hit in 1962 with "These Arms Of Mine" and went on that same decade to record hits like his remake of "Try A Little Tenderness" and "Respect," which Aretha Franklin later reworked.

In 1967, at just 26 years of age, Redding and four members of his backing band died in a plane crash when their plane crashed into a Wisconsin lake. "Sittin' On The Dock O' The Bay" was released shortly after his death and became his biggest hit. Numerous other Redding albums were released posthumously, since the singer had written and recorded a ton of material before he died.

Redding was later inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame and countless artists have immortalized him in song, including The Doors, Everclear, Okkervil River and... rather unfortunately... Hanson.